September 5th
by Boo2020
Summary: Phoenix and Maya visit Mia's grave on the anniversary of her death.


September 5th. It's a strange date for Maya. Ever since that one fateful year it's been both a day of pain and heartbreak, and of friendship and new beginnings. Even now years later she's not sure exactly how she should feel on the anniversary of her sister's death, and of the day she met her best friend, and love of her life. She wishes there was some way to separate the two memories. If only she'd met Phoenix before that day, or even after. But then he wouldn't have been there to help her when she needed it, and she probably wouldn't be around anymore either.

Phoenix seems to sense her unease and reaches over to take her hand as the taxi pulls into the cemetery entrance. He squeezes her hand to let her know he's there, but there's no need to say anything.

The driver stops a respectful distance away from the graves. Phoenix gets out and talks to the driver, asking him to wait, while Maya climbs out of the other seat. She wraps her shawl around herself. It's not cold, in fact it's quite warm out, but nonetheless she feels a chill as she stares out at the sea of headstones.

Phoenix comes around the car after he's ensured the driver will wait for them and looks down at her. "You ready?"

She nods and attempts to reassure him with a smile. She's sure it doesn't look genuine, but Phoenix doesn't point it out, he just smiles back at her. "Come on," he says, holding out his arm.

She takes it and is grateful for his strength as he leads her across the cemetery. She knows he's hurting too, he loved Mia almost as much as Maya herself did, but he tries to be strong for her. Every year it's the same.

They make their way to the old section, where the graves are cracked and aging, some of the names and years not even visible on them anymore. Maya's family has its own section, with plots claimed well in advance to keep the main family together in death. Mia's plot shouldn't have been filled so soon, but alas her headstone stands there, the black granite shining in the afternoon sun, standing out amongst all of the older monuments.

They approach it together quietly, neither of them speaking. They can hear the sound of another couple across the cemetery, what looks to be a young boy with his mother standing at another grave, but besides their faint voices the only sounds are that of the wind in the trees and the birds singing.

When they reach Mia's grave Maya kneels in the grass and sets the flowers she'd brought with her near the headstone. A bouquet of carnations; white, pink, and red.

She doesn't cry, she doesn't even say anything, just stares at the headstone. It's simple, with only Mia's name and her years of birth and death. But Mia was memorable enough on her own, there's no need for anything else.

Phoenix kneels beside Maya, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. "You could have her channeled, you know," he says quietly, so much so that it's almost a murmur.

Maya simply shakes her head. "No. She deserves to rest now. Besides, there's too much to talk about, and saying goodbye to her again… Well, I'm not sure I would be able to."

"You don't want to tell her?"

Maya turns her head to smile at him, and reaches down to touch her small baby bump. "I think, somehow, she already knows. Besides, she would scold me for wanting to name our baby after her. She would call it an unlucky name or tell me she doesn't deserve the honour of having a child named after her."

Phoenix smiles. "That sounds like her."

Maya reaches over to take his hand. "But she would be happy, secretly. About the name, and about us. I still think she somehow knew how important we'd be to each other. Maybe she didn't know we'd fall in love, after all I was practically still a kid back then, but she did know enough to point me towards you once she was gone."

"And she knew me well enough to know I wouldn't abandon you."

"Yeah, I definitely think she was counting on you being such a pushover."

"Hey," he says, nudging her with his shoulder.

"It's the one good thing that came from this day," Maya says. "Meeting you, I mean."

"You're right," he says, reaching over to adjust the flowers slightly. He sighs. "Are you sure you don't want to have someone channel her?"

"I'm sure, Nick," Maya says as she starts to stand. She brushes the grass from her knees and stands up straight, looking around. The mother and son have gone, and they're alone. She reaches her hand down to Phoenix, and he takes it, letting her pull him to his feet. "Let's go back now," she says. "I'm hungry."

Phoenix laughs, and wraps an arm around her shoulders as they start to head back to the waiting taxi. "We can't have you starving now that you're eating for two."

Maya pats her stomach. "Yep. Did you know my sister had a huge appetite, just like me?"

Phoenix nods as he thinks back to his time as Mia's apprentice. "I do remember having to go down to the burger joint on the corner for her almost as often as I do with you. She never even had a french fry leftover."

Maya grins. "I can already tell _our_ little Mia is going to be the same as her mom and auntie."

"Great," Phoenix says. "I can already feel my wallet crying."

Maya laughs as they reach the taxi, and as Phoenix opens the back door for her she knows that she'll be okay. She misses her sister, that much is obvious, but her life now is everything she could have hoped for; everything Mia would have wanted for her, and she knows her sister would want her to be happy, and hopeful for the future, and to try not to dwell on the past so much.

Phoenix closes the door after she steps into the car and Maya looks out across the cemetery again, saying a silent goodbye.

She turns her attention from the window when she feels Phoenix take her hand again, and she simply smiles at him as the taxi begins to move.


End file.
